Pinning method and apparatus

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed method and apparatus for pinning tags to merchandise. The method can be practiced in a pinning machine of the type having an anvil and a cooperable plunger, a tag feeding mechanism for feeding tags to a pinning position between the anvil and the plunger, a pin magazine for driving a pin from a pin driving position through the tag and merchandise, and a pin feeding mechanism having a claw for feeding pins to the pin magazine. The method causes the leading pin to be fed to the pin receiving position each time the pin strip is advanced irrespective of whether or not pins are missing from the pin strip.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,854,190

Stark Dec. 17, 1974 [54] PINNIN G METHOD AND APPARATUS 3,134,502 /1964 Kusznier 227/136 X 14. 4 1967 P [75] inventor: William stark Ketermg, 2288 322 9/1972 P2112 1; 227/136 x Ohio [73] Assignee: Monarch Marking Systems, Inc., Primary Examiner-Char1ie T. Moon Dayton, Ohio Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Joseph J. Grass [22] Filed: Sept. 20, 1973 57 ABSTRACT [21] App]. No.: 399,026 1 There disclosed method and apparatus for pmmng tags to merchandise. The method can be practiced in [52] US. Cl 29/432.1, 29/526, 227/136 a pinning machine f the type having an and a [51 Int. Cl. B23p 11/00, Bc 5/16 cooperable plunger a tag f di mechanism for f d, [58] Field of Search 29/432.2, 432.1, 526; ing tags to a pinning position between the anvil and 227/116, 2, 136 X; 271/10, 74 the plunger, a pin magazine for driving a pin from a pin driving position through the tag and merchandise, [56] References C'ted and a pin feeding mechanism having a claw for feed- UNITED STATES PATENTS ing pins to the pin magazine. The method causes the 1,528,023 3/1925 Kohnle 29/432.1 leading P 10 be fed to the P receiving Position each 1,971,963 8/ 1934 Kohnle 227 1 1 time the pin strip is advanced irrespective of whether 2,014,726 9/1935 Flood 227/136 UX or not pins are missing from the pin strip. 2,813,021 12/1957 Sloan 227/136 X i 3,025,054 3/1962 14 Claims, 19 Drawing Figures Clemens et a1 227/136 ux ZJN PATENTS; 35E 1 7 I974 3. 854.190

sum 2 or 2 FIG-l3 11 PRIOR ART as lp M PS FIG- I4 PINNING METHOD AND APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to the art of methods and apparatus for pinning tags to merchandise.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art A typical example of the type of pinning machine in which the invention can be carried out is US. Pat. No. 1,971,963. In this patent the pin strip is advanced by a reciprocating ratchet or claw. In the event no pin is absent from the pin strip, the foremost or leading pin in the pin strip is moved into registration with the pin magazine on each feed stroke. However, if a pin is absent from the pin strip then, during one of the pinning cycles, a tag will be fed to the pinning position and there will be no pin in the pin magazine in the pin receiving position and therefore that tag will not be pinned to the merchandise. In US. Pat. No. 3,314,580, successive pins are fed against a fixed stop by means of a friction drive unit. During each cycle of the machine, the paper strip is fed intermittently through a sufficient distance to move a subsequent pininto alignment with a ramrod or pin driver regardless of whether some pins may have inadvertently been omitted or fallen out of the strip.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises improved method and apparatus for pinning tags to merchandise. The method comprises feeding a tag to a pinning position located between a cooperable anvil and plunger, driving a pin at the pin receiving position through the tag and merchandise while the anvil and plunger are in cooperation, wherein adjacent pins in the pin strip are spaced apart by a distance approximately equal to P and wherein compensation is made for the absence of N number of successive pins in the pin strip, sensing the position of the leading pin in the pin strip upstream of the pin receiving position, engaging a pin of the pin strip and advancing the pin strip through a distance equal to (N l )P in response to sensing the leading pin so that the pin strip is advanced and its leading pin is brought to the pin receiving position. More specifically, ea claw moves during apin feeding stroke through a distance of at least (N l)? but not less than 2P while the control member prevents engagement of the claw with any pin but the leading pin strip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of basic components of a pinning machine for carrying out the method of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a pin strip shown in FIG. 1 with a pin missing from one pin position in the strip;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational fragmentary view of the pinning machine showing a tag at the pinning position, with the plunger being out of cooperation with the anvil;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged front elevational fragmentary view showing the plunger in cooperation with the anvil and a pin as having pinned a tag to merchandise;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a fragmentary portion of merchandise to which a tag has been pinned using the method and apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a pin feeding mechanism shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view partly in section of the pin feeding mechanism shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the pin strip and the claw and hold-down fingers of the pin feeding mechanism;

claw; and

FIG. 19 is a diagrammatic view showing a prior art claw'for advancing a pin strip in a pinning machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically the major operating components of a pinning machine generally indicated at 20. The pinning machine 20 is provided with a reciprocating plunger 21, a tag feeding mechanism generally indicated at 22, a pin feeding mechanism generally indicated at 23, and a conventional pin magazine generally indicated at 24. The machine 20 also includes a print head (not shown) for printing data on the tags. The machine 20 has an electric motor 25 which drives a speed reducer 25'.'The speed reducer 25 has an output shaft 26 coupled to an input 27 of a singlerevolution clutch generally indicated at 28. The output 29 of the clutch 28 drives a shaft 30 through one revolution each time the clutch 28 is engaged. A plate cam 31, barrel cam 32, and cam 33 are secured to the shaft I 30. The cam 31 drives a roller follower 34 carried by a bell crank 35. The bell crank 35 is pivotally mounted on a fixed pivot 36. As the shaft 30 and the cam'31 rotate, the cam 31 causes the bell crank 35 to pivot clockwise (FIG. 1) to raise the plunger 21 and thereafter to pivot counterclockwise to lower the plunger 21. The barrel cam 32 has a continuous cam groove 37 which receives a roller follower 38. The roller follower 38 is carried by an arm 39 pivotally mounted on a fixed pivot 40. An arm or extension 41 is adjustably secured to the arm39 by a machine screw 42. The extension 41 is mounted by a pivot 43 carried by the arm 39. The screw 42 passes through an arcuate slot 41' in the extension 41 and is threadably received by the arm 39. The upper end of the extension 41 has a yoke 41" which drives a pin 22 coupled to the feeding mechanism 22. The tag feeding mechanism is mounted for reciprocation on a stationary guide 22" mounted to the machine frame. The mechanism 22 has a feed finger 44 which will successively advance a web 45 of record members, specifically tickets or tags I. When the web 45 has been advanced to the proper position, a cut-off knife diagrammatically indicated at 47 will cut the leading tag I from the web 45, and once the knife 47 has moved out of the way, the feed finger 44 will feed the severed tag t to a pinning position between the plunger 21 and an anvil 48 with which the plunger 21 cooperates. As the shaft 30 and the barrel cam 32 rotate, the arm 39 is pivoted first in the counterclockwise direction (FIG. 1) which will cause the feed finger 44 '22 nears the end of its feeding stroke, an actuator 49 carried by the tag feeding mechanism 22 will contact and drive the pin feeding mechanism 23 to cause a pin p to be advanced to a pin receiving position D from which it can be driven through the tag t and merchandise at the pinning position. The maximum forward travel of the feed finger 44 during its feeding stroke can be adjusted by loosening the screw 42 and pivoting the extension 41 through the desired angle relative to the arm 39 and thereupon tightening the screw 42. This will assure that the web 45 will be fed to the proper position relative to the knife 47 and that the severed tag t is always fed to the proper position relative to the pinning position. In the illustrated embodiment the pin receiving position D is in the pin extracting position relative to the pin magazine 24. It is to be understood that, for purposes of the invention, any suitable mechanism can be employed to drive the pin through the tag and merchandise other than the ones illustrated inU.S. Pat. Nos. 1,971,963 and 3,314,580. As the barrel cam 32 continues to rotate, the arm 39 will be pivoted clockwise (FIG. 1) and the tag feeding mechanism 22 and the feed finger 44 and the actuator 49 which it carries will be retracted to their initial positions. The cam 33 is mechanically coupled to the pinmagazine 24 as indicated by line 30. The pin magazine 24 includes a pin driver 50 which is used to drive the pin p through the U-shaped construction and includes a pair of plate portions 54 and 55 joined to a top portion 56. The holder 53 is received between the plates 52 and 52 of the frame 51. A pair of pins 57'and 58 extend through respective pairs of holes 57 and 58 in the plates 52 and 53 and are securely held in position. The plate portions 54 and 55 have respective open-ended slots 60 and 61. The pin 57 extends through the slots 60 and 61.

The slots 60 and 61 enable the holder 53 to shift relative to the frame 51. Hold-down fingers 62 and 63 are pivotally and individually mounted on the pin 57 which passes through respective holes 64 and 65. The fingers 62 and 63 have respective extensions 66 and 67 which extend freely through respective cut-outs 68 and 69 of the holder 53. Compression springs 70 and 71 bear against repsective extensions 66 and 67 at their upper ends, thereby urging the respective fingers 62 and 63 counterclockwise (FIG. 6). Extensions 72 and 73 of respective fingers 62 and 63 are normally urged against the pin 58 by the respective springs 70 and 71 as best shown in FIG. 7. A feed claw 74 is pivotally mounted to the holder 53 by a pin 75. The pin 75 extends through a bore 76 of the claw 74 and is secured in holes 77 and 78 in respective plate portions 54'and 55. A tension spring 79 is connected at one end to the claw 74 and its other end to the pin 57. The spring 79 urges the holder 53 to a position in which the ends of the slots 60 and 61 are against the pin 57. The spring 79 also urges the claw 74 counterclockwise. The top portion 56 of the holder 53 has an upstanding tab 80. An actuator 81 is pivotally mounted on the pin 58- which extends :4 I through a bore 82 in the actuator 81. The actuator 81 includes a screw 83 having a rounded head 84. The screw 83 is threadably received in a split section 85 of the actuator 81. The screw 83 is clamped in its adjusted position by a screw 86. The screw 83 is adjusted so that the leading pin lp is brought precisely to the pin delivery position D shown in FIG. 9. The head 84 of the screw 83 can contact the tab to drive the holder 53 and the claw 74. As the actuator 81 is pivoted counterclockwise (FIG. 9) by the driver 49 into the position shown in FIG. 9, the holder 53 and the feed claw 74 which it carries will shift in the forward direction (to the left as shown in FIG. 9) thereby advancing the pin strip PS.

The foregoing is a description of conventional pinning machine of the type shown and described in above-mentioned US. Pat. No. 1,971,963 and of the specific form of pinning machine Model No. 86 produced .by Monarch Marking Systems, Inc., Dayton, Ohio 45401. The Model No. 86 has a feed'claw shaped as illustrated at C in FIG. 19. It is significant that the invention can be applied to an existing feed finger type I of machine like the Model 86 with relatively few changes. The prior art feed claw C has teeth t1, t2, t3 which engage adjacent pins'in the pin strips PS. The claw C has a stroke at least equal to the pin-to-pin distance P, but preferably greater than the distance P and less than the distance 2P. If the pin p is absent from the position immediately in front of less than all the teeth pins in various stages of readiness in the pin magazine,

and hence the machine will fail to pin to the merchandise atag which has been delivered to the pinning zone.

If the pins p are missing from the position immediately in front of all the teeth :1, t2,'and t3, the claw C will not feed the pin strip PS.

In accordance with the present invention, with particular references to FIGS. 10 through 15, the feed claw 74 is provided with a control member 87 which senses the leading pin lp and controls the movement of the claw 74 so that tooth 88 will always engage the leading pin lp'in the pin strip PS. As the claw 74 moves forward during its feeding stroke, the land 89 of the control member 87 can ride on the leading pin lp. The land 89 is conveniently made flat. By way of example, not limitation: the land 89 terminates at its leading edge 89' less than the distance P from the pin delivery position D and preferably not more than .751 from the pin delivery position D; the face of the tooth 88 is at a distance greater than 2? and preferably about 2.5P from the pin delivery position D; and the gap G between the trailing end 89" of the land 89 and the face of the tooth 88 is less than the distance P but is sufficient to enable the face of the tooth 88 to engage fully a pin p which is presented in front of the tooth 88 on the feed stroke of the claw 74; the gap G'in this illustration is slightly less than .751. By way of further example the diameter of -a pin p is about 0.0265 inch and the pin-to-pin spacing is about 0.120 inch. In this illustration the pin feeding mechanism 22 not only can compensate fora missing pin but normal manufacturing variations in the pinto-pin distance P will not prevent the leading pin lp from being delivered to the pin receiving position D. The pin feeding stroke of the claw 74 is at least (N l)P but not less than 2?, where N is the number of missing pins p to be compensated for; in this illustration where N is l, the stroke is 2.5P. In the event the leading pin lp is disposed at the distance P upstream from the pin receiving position indicated by the line D, as shown in FIGS. and 11, then the tooth 88 will engage the leading pin lp and advance the pin strip PS through the distance P. In the event the leading pin lp is disposed at the distance 2? upstream from the pin recovering position as shown in FIG. 13, that is one pin is absent, then the tooth 88 will engage the leading pin lp and advance the pin strip PS through the distance 2P as shown in FIGS. 13, 14 and 15.

When the operator desires to pin a tag I to merchandise m, the operator inserts the merchandise m between the plunger 21 and the anvil 48 and causes the single-revolution clutch 28 to be engaged to drive the shaft 30 and cams 31, 32 and 33 through one complete revolution. Thereupon, the cam 32 causes the feed finger 44 to feed a tag I to the pinning zone; at the end portion of the movement of the feed finger 44, the driver 49 drives the pin feeding mechanism 23 to feed the pin strip PS to deliver a pin p to the pin delivery position D; thereafter the plunger 21 moves up into cooperation with the anvil 48. When the plunger 21 and the anvil 48 are in cooperation, the driver 50 drives a pin p through the tag t and the merchandise m, and meanwhile the driver 49 is retracted away from the pin feeding mechanism 23 which returns to the retracted position. Thereafter, the end of the pin p is clinched into the tag I by a pin clincher 21c, and thereafter the pin driver 50 and the plunger 21 are retracted. The leading tag t is printed and immediately cut off from the web by knife 47. Thereafter the shaft 30 completes its revolution and the machine cycle is complete.

Initially the pin strip PS is inthe position shown in FIG. 10. The leading pin lp is disposed a distance P upstream from the pin delivery position D, and the next successive pin is absent from the pin strip PS. On the forward stroke of the claw 74, the land 89 of the control member 87 rides in contact with the leading pin lp. As the claw 74 moves forward (to the left in FIG. 10) the control member 87 overtravels the leading pin lp so that, as indicated in FIG. 11, the tooth 88 engages the leading pin lp. Continued forward movement of the claw 74 brings the leading pin lp to the pin receiving position D shown in FIG. 12. Thereafter, the am 39 pivots clockwise (FIG. 1), and the driver 49 loses contact with the actuator 81. Thus, the spring 79 (FIG. 9) moves the claw 74 to the right from the position shown in FIGS. 9 and 12 to the initial position shown in FIG. 10. At the completion of the pinning cycle, the shaft 30 and the barrel cam 32 have rotated through one complete revolution.

FIG. 13 shows the claw 74 in the initial position. The next engagement of the single-revolution clutch 28 starts pinning machine cycle. On the forward stroke of the claw 74, the land 89 of the control member 87 will slide on the pin strip PS as the claw 74 moves to the left from the position shown in FIG. 13 to the position shown in FIG. 14. Upon continued movement of the claw 74 from the position shown in FIG. 14 to the position shown in FIG. 15, the pin strip PS and its leading pin 1p is moved through a distance equal to 2P. During continued rotation of the cam 32, claw 74 is returned to its initial position.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 16 through 18, there is shown a claw 74a which differs from the claw 74 in that it has a control member 87a having a land 89a. By way of example, not limitation: the land 89a terminates at its leading edge 89a less than the distance P from the pin delivery position D and preferably not more than .75P from the pin receiving position D; the face of the tooth 88a is at a distance greater than 3P and preferably about 3.5P from the pin delivery position D; and the gap G between the trailing end 89a" of the land 89a and the face of the tooth 88a is less than the distance P but is sufficient to enable the face of the tooth 88a to engage fully a pin P which is presented in front of the tooth on the feed stroke of the claw 74a; the gap G in this illustration is slightly less than .75P. In this illustration the pin feeding mechanism 22 not only can compensate for either one or two missing pins but normal manufacturing variations in the pin-to-pin distance P will not prevent the leading pin lp from being delivered to the pin receiving position D. The pin feeding stroke of the claw 74a is at least (N l )P but not less than 2P, where N is the number of missing pins p to be compensated for; in this illustration where N is 2, the stroke is at least 3P and is preferably 3.51. Causing the claw 74a to move through a stroke of 3.5P is accomplished by making the driver 49 slightly longer than in the embodiment of FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 6 through 15 so that the actuator 81 is caused to rotate clockwise (FIG. 9) through a greater angle than shown in FIG. 9. Also, the components of the pin feeding assembly 23 must obviously be sized to enable the claw 74a to travel through a distance of 3.51. Except for the control member 87a which is illustrated as being formed integrally with the remainder of the claw 74a, the claw 74a can be operated by the same mechanism as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 3 through 15. .As illustrated in FIG. 16, there are two pins absent from the pin strip PS. FIG. 16 shows the claw 74a at the end of its forward stroke during the pinning cycle, with the leading pin having been delivered to the pin delivery position D. During the return stroke of the feed claw 74a, the feed claw 74a is brought to its initial position illustrated in FIG. 17. During the next machine cycle the claw 74a is driven from the position shown in FIG. 17 to the position shown in FIG. 18. The claw 74a moves forward and engages the leading pin lp and advances the leading pin lp and the pin strip PS through a distance equal to three times the distance P. Thereafter, during the remainder of the machine cycle the claw 74a is returned tothe position shown in FIG. 17. During the feed strokes of the claw 74a during the next machine cycle, the tooth 88a will overtravel the pin p at distances 3P and 2P from the pin delivery position D but the claw 74a will descend to cause the tooth 88a to engage the Other embodiments and modifications of this invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and all such of these as come within the spirit of this invention are included within its scope as best defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Method of pinning tags to merchandise, which method is practiced in a pinning machine having an anvil and a cooperable plunger and adapted to have a supply of tags and a supply of pins disposed in a generally parallel arrangement ona flexible pin strip, the approximate pin-to-pin distance being equal to P, wherein compensation is made for the absence of pins from N number of successive pin positions in the pin strip, a tag and merchandise being adapted to be disposed at a pinning position between the cooperable anvil and plunger, and the pin strip being fed toward a pin receiving position in alignment with the pinning position by a movable claw, the claw being controlled by a control member which can ride on a pin during the forward movement of the claw until the claw has reached the leading pin in the pin strip, comprising the steps of:

feeding a tag to the pinning position;

driving a pin-at the pin receiving position through the tag and merchandise while the anvil and plunger are in cooperation;

and moving the claw in a pin strip feeding stroke through a distance of at least (N l)P but not less than 2P while the control member prevents engagement of the claw with any pin but'the leading pin in the pin strip until the claw is in position to engage the leading pin to feed the pin strip a distance equal to P in the event the leading pin is a distance P from the pin receiving position or through a distance equal to (N 1)? in the event the leading pin in the pin strip is a distance (N 1)P from the pin receiving position. i 2. Method as defined in claim 1, wherein N is equal to l.

3. Method as defined in claim 1, wherein N is equal to 2.

4. Method of pinning tags to merchandise, which method is practiced in a pinning machine having an anvil and a cooperable plunger and adapted to have a supply of tags and a supply of pins disposed in a generally parallel arrangement in a flexible pin strip, the approximate pin-to-pin distance being equal to P, wherein compensation is made for the absence of pins from N number of successive pin positions in the pin strip, a tag and merchandise being adapted to be disposed at a pinning position between the cooperable anvil and plunger, comprising the steps'of:

feeding a tag to the pinning position; driving a pin from a pin receiving position through the tag and merchandise at the pinning position while the anvil and plunger are in cooperation;

sensing the presence or absence of a pin in the pin strip at a distance NP upstream of the pin receiving position; and

engaging a pin in the pin strip upstream of the pin receiving position and advancing the pin strip through a distance equal to (N l)P in response to the sensing step so that the leading pin is advanced to the pin receiving position.

5. Method as defined in calim 4, wherein N is equal to 2.

6. Method of pinning tags to merchandise, which method is practiced in a pinning machine having an anvil and a cooperable plunger and adapted to have a supply of tags and a supply of pins disposed in a generally parallel arrangement in a flexible pin strip, the approximate pin-to-pin distance being equal to P, wherein compensation is made for the absence of a pin from a pin position in the pin strip, a tag and merchandise being adapted to be disposed at a pinning position between the cooperable anvil and plunger, comprising the steps of:

feeding a tag to the pinning position; driving a pin from a pin receiving position throug the tag and merchandise at the pinning position while the anvil and plunger are in cooperation;

sensing the presence or absence of a pin in the pin strip at a distance P from the pin receiving position; and

, engaging a pin in the pin strip upstream of the pin receiving position and advancing the pin strip through a distance equal to P in response to sensing the presence of a pin or through a distance equal to 2P'in response to sensing the absence of a pin.

7. A pinning machine adapted to have a supply of tags and a supply of pins disposed in a generally parallel arrangement on a flexible pin strip, the approximate pin-to-pin distance being equal to P, wherein compensation is made for the absence of pins from N number of successive pin positions in the pin strip, comprising: an anvil, a plunger cooperable with the anvil, means for feeding a tag between the anvil and the plunger at a pinning position, means for driving a pin from a pin receiving position through the tag and merchandise at the pinning position to pin the tag to the merchandise, means for sensing the presence or absence of a pin in the pin strip at a distance NP upstream of the pin receiving position, and means (a) driven a distance of at least (N 1)P but not less than 2P, (b) controlled by the sensing means and (c) engageable with a pin in the pin strip upstream of the pin receiving position, for feeding the pin strip through the distance (N l)P.

8. A pinning machine as defined in claim 7, wherein the sensing means includes a control member, and the pin strip feeding means comprises a claw, the control member being capable of contacting at least theleading pin in the pin strip for preventing the claw from engaging any pin but the leading pin.

9. A pinning machine as defined in claim 7, wherein the sensing means includes a control member having a land which prevents the engagement of the claw with any pin but the leading pin, and means coupling the control member and the claw for movement relative to the pin strip.

10. A pinning machine as defined in claim 7, wherein the sensing means includes a land by which the sensing means can ride on a pin in the pin strip and controls the claw, wherein the claw has a tooth, the gap between the trailing end of the land and the tooth being less than P but sufficient to enable the tooth to engage fully a pin which is presented in front of the tooth.

11. A pinning machine adapted to have a supply of tags and a supply of pins disposed in a generally parallel arrangement on a flexible pin strip, the approximate pin-to-pin distance being equal to P, wherein compensation is made for the absence of a pin from a pin position in the pin strip, comprising: an anvil, a plunger coing pin, and means for reciprocating the control member and the claw through a distance equal to at least 2? to bring the leading pin to the pin receiving position irrespective of whether or not a pin'is absent from the pin position at the distance P upstream of the pin receiving position.

12. A pinning machine as defined in claim 11, wherein the control member is formed integrally with the claw.

13. A pinning machine as defined in claim 11. wherein the control member has a land and the claw has a tooth, the gap between the trailing end of the land and the tooth being less than F but sufficient to enable the tooth to engage fully a pin which is presented in front of the tooth.

14. A pinning machine as defined in claim 11, wherein the control member has a land and the claw has a tooth, the gap between the trailing end of the land and the tooth being at least slightly less than P but sufficient to enable the tooth to engage fully a pin which is presented in front of the tooth, and means coupling the control member and the claw for movement as a unit relative to the pin strip. 

1. Method of pinning tags to merchandise, which method is practiced in a pinning machine having an anvil and a cooperable plunger and adapted to have a supply of tags and a supply of pins disposed in a generally parallel arrangement on a flexible pin strip, the approximate pin-to-pin distance being equal to P, wherein compensation is made for the absence of pins from N number of successive pin positions in the pin strip, a tag and merchandise being adapted to be disposed at a pinning position between the cooperable anvil and plunger, and the pin strip being fed toward a pin receiving position in alignment with the pinning position by a movable claw, the claw being controlled by a control member which can ride on a pin during the forward movement of the claw until the claw has reached the leading pin in the pin strip, comprising the steps of: feeding a tag to the pinning position; driving a pin at the pin receiving position through the tag and merchandise while the anvil and plunger are in cooperation; and moving the claw in a pin strip feeding stroke through a distance of at least (N + 1)P but not less than 2P while the control member prevents engagement of the claw with any pin but the leading pin in the pin strip until the claw is in position to engage the leading pin to feed the pin strip a distance equal to P in the event the leading pin is a distance P from the pin receiving position or through a distance equal to (N + 1)P in the event the leading pin in the pin strip is a distance (N + 1)P from the pin receiving position.
 2. Method as defined in claim 1, wherein N is equal to
 1. 3. Method as defined in claim 1, wherein N is equal to
 2. 4. Method of pinning tags to merchandise, which method is practiced in a pinning machine having an anvil and a cooperable plunger and adapted to have a supply of tags and a supply of pins disposed in a generally parallel arrangement in a flexible pin strip, the approximate pin-to-pin distance being equal to P, wherein compensation is made for the absence of pins from N number of successive pin positions in the pin strip, a tag and merchandise being adapted to be disposed at a pinning position between the cooperable anvil and plunger, comprising the steps of: feeding a tag to the pinning position; driving a pin from a pin receiving position through the tag and merchandise at the pinning position while the anvil and plunger are in cooperation; sensing the presence or absence of a pin in the pin strip at a distance NP upstream of the pin receiving position; and engaging a pin in the pin strip upstream of the pin receiving position and advancing the pin strip through a distance equal to (N + 1)P in response to the sensing step so that the leading pin is advanced to the pin receiving position.
 5. Method as defined in calim 4, wherein N is equal to
 2. 6. Method of pinning tags to merchandise, which method is practiced in a pinning machine having an anvil and a cooperable plunger and adapted to have a supply of tags and a supply of pins disposed in a generally parallel arrangement in a flexible pin strip, the approximate pin-to-pin distance being equal to P, wherein compensation is made for the absence of a pin from a pin position in the pin strip, a tag and merchandise being adapted to be disposed at a pinning position between the cooperable anvil and plunger, comprising the steps of: feeding a tag to the pinning position; driving a pin from a pin receiving position through the tag and merchandise at the pinning position while the anvil and plunger are in cooperation; sensing the presence or absence of a pin in the pin strip at a distance P from the pin receiving position; and engaging a pin in the pin strip upstream of the pin receiving position and advancing the pin strip through a distance equal to P in response to sensing the presence of a pin or through a distance equal to 2P in response to sensing the absence of a pin.
 7. A pinning machine adapted to have a supply of tags and a supply of pins disposed in a generally parallel arrangement on a flexible pin strip, the approximate pin-to-pin distance being equal to P, wherein compensation is made for the absence of pins from N number of successive pin positions in the pin strip, comprising: an anvil, a plunger cooperable with the anvil, means for feeding a tag between the anvil and the plunger at a pinning position, means for driving a pin from a pin receiving position through the tag and merchandise at the pinning position to pin the tag to the merchandise, means for sensing the presence or absence of a pin in the pin strip at a distance NP upstream of the pin receiving position, and means (a) driven a distance of at least (N + 1)P but not less than 2P, (b) controlled by the sensing means and (c) engageable with a pin in the pin strip upstream of the pin receiving position, for feeding the pin strip through the distance (N + 1)P.
 8. A pinning machine as defined in claim 7, wherein the sensing means includes a control member, and the pin strip feeding means comprises a claw, the control member being capable of contacting at least the leading pin in the pin strip for preventing the claw from engaging any pin but the leading pin.
 9. A pinning machine as defined in claim 7, wherein the sensing means includes a control member having a land which prevents the engagement of the claw with any pin but the leading pin, and means coupling the control member and the claw for movement relative to the pin strip.
 10. A pinning machine as defined in claim 7, wherein the sensing means includes a land by which the sensing means can ride on a pin in the pin strip and controls the claw, wherein the claw has a tooth, the gap between the trailing end of the land and the tooth being less than P but sufficient to enable the tooth to engage fully a pin which is presented in front of the tooth.
 11. A pinning machine adapted to have a supply of tags and a supply of pins disposed in a generally parallel arrangement on a flexible pin strip, the approximate pin-to-pin distance being equal to P, wherein compensation is made for the absence of a pin from a pin position in the pin strip, comprising: an anvil, a plunger cooperable with the anvil, means for feeding a tag to between the anvil and the plunger at a pinning position, means for driving a pin from a pin driving position through the tag and merchandise at the pinning position to pin the tag to merchandise, a claw engageable with a leading pin of the pin strip for feeding the pin strip, a control member capable of riding on a pin in the pin strip for holding the claw out of contact with any pin on the pin strip until the claw has reached the leading pin, and means for reciprocating the control member and the claw through a distance equal to at least 2P to bring the leading pin to the pin receiving position irrespective of whether or not a pin is absent from the pin position at the distance P upstream of the pin receiving position.
 12. A pinning machine as defined in claim 11, wherein the control member is formed integrally with the claw.
 13. A pinning machine as defined in claim 11, wherein the control member has a land and the claw has a tooth, the gap between the trailing end of the land and the tooth being less than P but sufficient to enable the tooth to engage fully a pin which is presented in front of the tooth.
 14. A pinning machine as defined in claim 11, wherein the control member has a land and the claw has a tooth, the gap between the trailing end of the land and the tooth being at least slightly less than P but sufficient to enable the tooth to engage fully a pin which is presented in front of the tooth, and means coupling the control member and the claw for movement as a unit relative to the pin strip. 